Internal-combustion engine.



No. 879,512. PATENTED FEB. 18, 1908. J. BRAUNWALDER.

INTERNAL OOMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED 1111116.19013.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE;

JOHN BRAUNWALDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IN TERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE T o all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN BRAUNWALDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at lhicago, county of (look, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in an Internal-Combustion asimple, convenient, economical, and com-I pact device of the kinddescribed and one which may if desired be made to run in eitherdirection.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction,arrangement, and com-` bination of parts herein shown and described, andmore particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingr drawings wherein ylike or similar referencecharacters indicate like or corresponding parts; Figure 1 a sectiontaken substantially on line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a section taken.substantially on line 2---2 of Fig. .1. Fig. 3 is a detail of a simplearrangement of inlet and ex- .haust pipes with valves for controllingthe direction; and Fig. .4 is a partial section taken substantially online 4 4 of Fig. 2.

In the preferred form of my devicel shown in the drawings, a shaft l isrotatably mounted in bearings in the heads 2 and'S and provided near itscentral portion with a rojecting flange 4 rigidly. attached to the s aftand carrying a concentric ring 5 at its periphery.

A plurality of pistons or plungers 6 are rigidly mounted upon the ring 5each projecting radially from its exterior and provided with a centrallongitudinal opening 7 extending entirely through the plunger to theinterior surface of the ring 5 which is preferably accurately finishedto provide a smooth continuous bearing surface especially immediatelyadjacent theends of the openings 7. i

A plain cup shaped cylinder 8 is provided for each plunger 6 each.cylinder being adapted to inelose the end of a plunger an@ slidelongitudinally thereon. Any suitable means -ma be provided to revent,leakage between t e walls of the p ungers and the Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed May 16. 190s. serai No. 317,046'.

Patented Feb. 18, 1908.

cylinders. In the form shown the exterior of each plunger is accuratelyinished, and fitted to the finished interior of the cylinders 6,depending merely upon the accuracy of the fit to prevent leakage. Whenso fitted each plunger also serves as a convenient radial guide anddriver to control the position and movement of a cylinder.

Any suitable means" may be provided to control the position of thepiston 8 upon the plungers 6.

1n the form shown the heads or side plates 2 and 3 are rigidly connectedand spaced from each by a sliell 9 which serves merely as a distancepiece to control the relative positions of the heads, and also in theforms` shown is provided with a suitable base or feet 9 for mounting mymotor upon a foundation.

As shown the head 2 is merely a substantially flat elliptical plateprovided with a suitable bearing for the shaft 1 at its central portion,and upon its inner face near its periphery having a suitably formedtrack or groove 1() the radialdistance between said track and the shaftat various points corresponding to the desired positions of thecylinders 8 upon the lungers.

The heaclJ 3 is preferably formed of the same generaloutline as the head2 and provided 1n the same manner with a bearing for the shaft 1 and.the groove 10 near its periphery; both heads being preferably formedexactly alike except that the-head 3 is provided with a cylindricalprojection 12 accurately fitted to the interior of the ring 5, and alsoprovided with any desired number of recesses or depressions 14positioned to periodically communicate with the openings 7 in theplungers 6 as the shaft 1 is rotated. l Any suitable means may beprovided upon the cylinders 8 to engage the grooves 10 upon the heads 4.As shown a pair of suitable wheels or rollers 15 are provided upon eachcylinder at its opposite sides each wheel adapted to snugly fit a groove10 in the heads 2 and 3 respectively.A The heads 2 and 3 thus serving asportions of the main frameof my device and also as stationary cams 1nwhich the groove 10 may be formed of any desired shape to produce thedesired movements of the cylinders.

In thel form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the grooves are substantiallyelliptical thus causing each' cylinder to make two complete strokesvupon its plunger in each revolution,

trolling the admission'and discharge of the motive fluid to and from thecylinders or for any other purpose desired.'

In Figs. 1 and 3 in which a reversible explosive enginc'is shown,thcrecesses 14 and 14 are employed either for admission or exhaust portsdepending upon the direction of motion of the engine and the recess 14is employed as an ignition port.

Any suitable means may be employed to connect the depressions 14 and 14with a suitable supply or motive fluid or with the atmosphere asdesired. As shown a suitable valve 16 is provided connected by means ofsuitablcs pipes 17 and 18 to the depressions 14 and 14 respectively.

A pipe 19 connects the valve 16 to a suitable supply of fiuid fordriving the motorand a pipe 20 is provided to conduct away the exhaust.The valve 16'is merely a common four way cock or other suitable devicewhereby the pipe 19 may be connected either to the pipe 17 or 18 asdesired while the pipe 20 is simultaneously connected to the other.

In Fig. 4 a simple form oligniter is shown lwhich may be4 employed withmy device if desired in which a cam 21 is rigidly attached to the shaft1 and a spring actuated circuit breaker is so positioned that as theshaft l rotates an electric circuit from a battery 22 or other source ofelcctrievenergy is successively completed and broken, each breakoccurring while an opening 7 is in communication with the recess 14 thussuccessively igniting the explosive charge in each cylinder.

In the form shown in Figs.v 1 and 2, suppose the shaft is rotating tothe left, as each opening 7 passes the recess 14 the charge in thecylinder' 8 is ignited and expands While the cylinder travels outwarduntil lit arrives at its extreme outward position and commences upon itsinward movement at this point the opening 7 arrives at the exhaustrecess 14 permitting the burned gases in the cylinder to escape untilthecylinder arrives at the limit of its movement in the opposite directionand the openinr 7 after passing the comparatively narrow liridge orpartition 23 arrives at the recess 14 just as ,the cylinder starts uponits second outward vstroke thus permitting the cylinder to be.

filled with the explosive mixture until it reaches the limit of itsmovement in this direction when the opening 7 reaches the edge of therecess 14 and is closed by the broad bridge 24 while the cylindertravels inward compressing the charge yuntil the cylinder again arrivesat the inner limit of its move-` ment when the opening 7 arrives at therecess 14 and the compressed charge is exploded. y

Having thus described my improvement, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications'may be made in my device without departing fromthe spirit of my invention, hence I do not Wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the exact form or construction shown.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. ln arotary gas engine, a plurality of rigidly connected pistons, adapted torotate concentrically about a common axis, in combination with acylinder mounted upon each su piston and means for controlling theradial positions of said cylinders.

2. In a rotary gas engine, a plurality of pistons rotating about andrigidly connected to a central shaft, and a cylinder reciprocatingradially upon each piston, in combination with means for controlling theradial position of said cylinders, andmeans for controlling theadmission and discharge of fluid to and from said cylinders.

8. In a rotary engine, a plurality of pistons rotating about and rigidlyconnected to a central shaft, and a `cylinder adapted to reciprocateradially upon each piston, in combination with means for controlling thera- 95 Adial position of each cylinder, a port extendshaft, a pluralityof pistons rigidly mounted upon said flange each 'piston having a longi-105 tudinal port extending therethrough, a cylinder fitted upon eachpiston and adapted to reciprocate radially thereon, and means forcontrolling the radial movements of said cylinders, in combination witha cylindrical projection positioned within said flange and snuglyfitting the interior thereof, a plurality of depressions formed in theperiphery of said projection each adapted to successively communicatewith the inner end of said ports and means for directing a fluid into orout of a portion of said ports.

5. A rotary engine, comprising a shaft, an annular flange concentricallymounted upon said shaft, a plurality of pistons rigidly mounted uponsaid flange, each piston having a port extending longitudinallytherethrough, a cylinder fitted upon each piston and adapted toreciprocate radially thereon, and means for controlling the radialmovements of said cylinders, in combination with a cylindrical Vprojection positioned within said flange and snugly fitting the interiorthereof, a plurality of depressions formed in the periphery of saidprojection and adapted to successively communicate With the inner endsof said ports com rising an admission, eating cylinders.

an ignition, and an e aust chamber, fluid In testimony whereof, I havehereunto conducting means connected to said admissigned my name in thepresence of two sub- 5 sion and exhaust chambers and means for scribingWitnesses.`

producing a spark provided for said ignition bers, in combination with:radiallyl recipro- JOI-IN BRAUNWALDER. chamber.

' 6. Ina rotary gas engine, a plurality of Witnesses.: radially'extended pistons, having formed BURTONU. HILLS,

.0 therein compression and combustion cham- CHARLES I. COBB.

